Much research has been dedicated to tone mapping for the display of high-dynamic-range images. These tools focus on contrast reduction, seeking a neutral reproduction, and are ideal when fidelity is needed. However, tone manipulation is also useful when an input has normal dynamic range, and many users seek to obtain a certain “look” for their pictures to convey a mood or an aesthetic. This is particularly significant for black-and-white photography where strikingly distinctive styles can be achieved.
The “look” of images has been addressed in Non-Photorealistic Rendering and recent analogy approaches enable the imitation of texture or stylized images in a purely data-driven fashion. However, present approaches do not enable the imitation of a photographic “look” such as the ones achieved by master black-and-white photographers.
A large part of such a look deals with the management of tones, which advanced photographers perform through elaborate lighting, tedious work in a darkroom, or using photo editing software. Unfortunately, such painstaking work and advanced skill is out of reach of casual users, although the casual user still has the desire to obtain such a look. In addition, issues of workflow and efficiency are becoming prevalent among professional users. The workflow describes the full process from image capture to printing and can include multiple software stages and manual retouching, all requiring much effort. Reducing the user work is critical to professionals, and many manuals and tools are dedicated to optimizing and automating all steps. For example, a wedding photographer takes hundreds of pictures and needs to give them a consistent look and to swiftly deliver them to clients. Individual retouching is hardly an option, and creative control over the look of each image is often sacrificed. Recently-introduced software such as Aperture, by Apple computer, Inc., of Cupertino, Calif., and Lightroom, by Adobe, of San Jose, Calif., focuses on workflow optimization but offers little interactive editing capabilities.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.